Bruised
by UCLAisinLosAngelesxo
Summary: Hours pass, and she still counts the minutes that I am not there. I swear I didn't mean for it to feel like this. Like every inch of me is bruised. AAML
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! So I was listening to this amazing song named "Bruised" from "Jack's Mannequin". I thought it fit the situation with Misty leaving very well, so here's a fanfic based off it : ) **

**I've got my things, I'm good to go**

**You met me at the terminal**

**Just one more plane ride and it's done**

The sun rose high in the sky, giving way to chirping birds and illuminating the airport. The morning was beautiful, but to two figures inside, it was dark and depressing.

"Flight 190 to Johto, now boarding". A female voice rang over the loudspeaker, pulling the teens out of their sadness for a moment. However, the moment ended when they realized what this meant. However, neither could move.

**We stood like statues at the gate**

**Vacation's come and gone too late**

**There's so much sun where I'm from**

**I had to give it away, had to give you away**

"Thanks for meeting me Mist… it means a lot that you closed the gym for the day just to see me off!" Ash Ketchum, a tall, handsome boy with unruly black hair, an impish grin, and devilish eyes told his companion.

Smiling at the familiar nickname, the redhead responded, "No problem Ash, you're my best friend. I-I've been with you since the beginning… It makes sense that I'd be with you a-at the e-end."

Misty tried to be strong, but her shaking voice and the few tears slipping down her face gave her away.

"Aw Misty… Don't cry, we'll see each other soon," The boy whispered, his own voice shaking slightly, "Mist… you know we can't continue traveling together. Your sisters need you. God knows I want you to stay."

_But I need you. _Misty thought, staring into his eyes. _Don't leave me."_

One week ago, the familiar trio had been traveling, perfectly content. They dreamed of the future, with Ash as a pokemon master. Back then, Brock and Misty had seen them journeying with him every step of the way. However, while stopping at a pokemon center one day, Misty had received a phone call. Her sisters needed her back home.

At first, she couldn't believe it. _Me, a gym leader?!_

She had felt ecstatic. That feeling had quickly subsided, however, as she had realized what this meant.

_I have to leave Ash. _

**And we spent four days on an**

**Island at your family's old hotel**

**Sometimes perfection can be**

**It can be perfect hell, perfect...**

Ash and Brock had generously offered to walk her to the family's gym, to travel together a bit longer, and to say goodbye properly. On the way, Brock had gotten a call as well. He was apparently needed at home.

Upon arrival at the gym, Misty had realized she needed more time. She couldn't let them go yet. She wasn't ready to see them walk away without her.

"Um… you guys… do you, maybe, um… wanna stay here for a few days?" She felt nervous asking, knowing their answer could potentially change her life forever.

"I'm game! Maybe I can try some new recepies on you guys before I go." Brock had exclaimed. Misty had beamed joyfully at him, before turning to Ash. The person whose answer affected her most.

"Yea, I can train some pokemon!" Ash had replied with a cheeky grin. Misty had given him one back, and they had all gone inside.

The next four days were amazing. The three teens had spent every moment together. They trained together, just like out in the woods. They swam, they went into town to walk around, and just enjoyed each other's company. Each one knew this would probably be the last time that it was just the three of them traveling together, and they want to enjoy it.

The day before, Brock had left. Waving goodbye, he had turned and walked down the road to start his journey home. Misty and Ash had been incredibly upset to see him go.

The time had come for them to part ways, Misty had realized. _There's nothing I can do. Brock's gone, and Ash's flight leaves tomorrow._

**Hours pass, and she still counts the minutes**

**That I am not there, I swear I didn't mean**

**For it to feel like this**

**Like every inch of me is bruised, bruised**

**And don't fly fast. Oh, pilot can you help me?**

**Can you make this last? This plane is all I got**

**So keep it steady, now**

**Cause every inch you see is bruised**

"Again, flight 190 to Johto is boarding". The voice spoke again. Ash stared at the ceiling, reigning in control of his emotions. He then turned to Misty. "This is it, Mist".

"Yea". She had responded simply, not trusting her own voice. The two stared at each other for a moment, before clashing into a large hug.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Ash." Misty sobbed into his shoulder.

"Shh, I know. I'm going to miss you too. So, so much." Ash clenched his eyes shut against her neck, pulling her tighter against him.

"You stay safe out there, hear me Ketchum?"

Ash laughed lightly at Misty's attempt to cheer him up.

"I will, Mist." Misty blushed lightly at the nickname, which he had been calling her all day. She had never been able to admit her feelings about him to his face, so she contented herself with hearing his special name for her.

"Will we see each other again?" She asked hesitantly, afraid to hear the answer.

Ash's eyes widened, and he gripped her shoulders, bringing his face close to hers.

"You can count on it, Mist. No matter what, we will see each other again. Never doubt that."

She smiled lightly back at him and whispered back, "Good."

"Misty?" Mist nodded. "I have to go now." His voice was low, sad.

"Ok. I guess this means… goodbye Ash." Ash pulled her into one final hug before responding, "Goodbye, Misty."

"Pikachupi!" Both teens jumped, and Misty glanced at the ground.

"How could I forget you Pikachu! I love you, and keep Ash safe, ok?" Pikachu nodded sadly, and hugged the girl.

Ash watched the encounter with a small frown, but quickly smiled when both turned to him.

"Let's go, Pikachu. We've got plenty of training ahead of us! I'm gonna be the master!" Misty laughed. He was still the Ash she remembered from that first day in the woods.

The two males turned, walking into the terminal. Ash turned one final time, waving to Misty and grinning what he hoped was a carefree grin. She returned it slightly, but he saw the tears still spilling down her cheeks.

Why was this so hard?

**I lace my Chucks, I walk the aisle**

**I take my pills, the babies cry**

**All I hear is what's playing through**

**The in-flight radio**

**Now every word of every song**

**I ever heard that made me wanna stay**

**Is what's playing through**

**The in-flight radio, and I**

**And I am, finally waking up**

Walking towards his seat, Ash seemed to be in a daze. The cry of hungry babies, the soft music playing on board… It all seemed to fade into the background. All he could see was Misty's tear-filled eyes. The look on her face when he had turned that final time.

The lyrics on the radio seemed to mock him.

_What hurts the most._ Really? This was NOT the song he needed to hear right now! Finding his chair, he collapsed into it.

Resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, he tried to control the flow of water from his eyes.

He wanted to stay so badly. To help Misty around the gym. To joke with her. To train, and watch each other grow as trainers, all the while cheering each other on. He wanted to have late night talks with her next to the campire. To hear her shriek early in the morning as a caterpie nudged her sleeping form.

He had always had an infatuation with her. They called him stupid, but in truth, he knew a lot more then they gave him credit for. The feeling had grown and developed, leaving him blushing when they came in contact, enjoying the closeness in their faces during their arguments, and noticing just how much she had grown since they had met.

Maybe this experience had taught him that a crush didn't quite cover it.

He gently lifted his head with a great sigh. Running a hand through his dark hair, he hugged himself.

He was in love with Misty.

**Hours pass, and she still counts the minutes**

**That I am not there, I swear I didn't mean**

**For it to feel like this**

**Like every inch of me is bruised, bruised**

**Don't fly fast. Oh, pilot can you help me?**

**Can you make this last? This plane is all I got**

**So keep it steady, now**

**Cause every inch you see is bruised, yeah**

Misty stood at the gate for hours. Long after the flight had left, she stared at the doorway he had disappeared into. She could not bring herself to move. It felt like her insides were being torn apart. A feeling of despair overtook her, until finally she felt sick from watching the opening.

Turning, she ran out of the airport. Tears blurred her vision, but still she pressed on. She ran until her lungs felt like they would give out, until finally she collapsed onto the pavement.

Retching out her breakfast, she curled into a ball and cried.

She had never felt so alone. She had never wanted someone to be in her life so badly.

She was in love with Ash.

**So read your books, but stay out late**

**Some nights, some nights, and don't think**

**That you can't stop by the bar**

**You haven't shown your face here since the bad news**

**Well I'm here till close, with fingers crossed**

**Each night cause your place isn't far**

Someone great once summed life up in three words.

_It goes on._

For the next few months, that's exactly what happened. Ash trained, traveled, and worked towards his goal.

Misty ran the gym, took care of her pokemon, and trained.

Both thought of each other daily, wondering how they were. As for Misty, she constantly worried if Ash was ok. Occasionally, she received a letter, and every few months, they were able to have a phone call. They used this time to catch up, but never to admit how they felt. It wasn't the right time.

The phone calls always ended the same way. A nurse Joy would ask Ash to get off the moniter, and he would shoot a small smile at Misty, assuring her he'd call.

"Make sure you keep reading, learning about your pokemon, Misty. Don't be afraid to go out and make new friends." At this, he would laugh. "I'm pretty sure they won't fry your bike."

At this, Misty would echo his laughter, and they would finally say goodnight. As soon as the screen closed, both would close their eyes tightly and rest their heads on the table.

For a few days after, both would be a bit out of it, but eventually, life returned to normal.

Misty often wondered if Ash missed her as much as she missed him. However, she had a gym to tend to.

_Maybe one day, we'll be together. _

**And hours pass, and hours pass, yeah, yeah... **

Their lives would continue to go on and change. Both knew that they couldn't go back to the world they lived in before. No matter how much they wanted to.

**Yeah, yeah, she still counts the minutes**

**That I am not there, I swear I didn't mean**

**For it to feel like this**

**Like every inch of me is bruised, bruised**

**And don't fly fast. Oh, pilot can you help me?**

**Can you make this last? This plane is all I got**

**So keep it steady, now**

Every once in a while, Ash thought back to that day. The day they parted.

However, just as quickly as the thought came, he would push the memory out of his mind. He needed to focus on the future now. Someday, somehow, he would be with Misty. If he had to walk on water, had to go through hell and back to be with her, he would do it.

But for now, he could only dream.

And dream he did.

**Cause every inch you see is bruised, bruised, bruised**

**Hey guys! I really hope you liked this story! I know it's kind of sad… but I feel that we have to think realistically. When Misty had to leave, she had a gym to run. Ash had training to do. They both had lives they needed to tend to. However, I'm sorry if It made anyone sad : (. And at the end, I'm not exactly sure if the song was saying he died…? But I'm choosing to take it as he didn't die haha. I would never kill Ash!**

**Review pleaseeee : ). And feel free to ask any questions that you have!**


	2. New Name

Hey guys! I've changed my pen name to** UCLAisinLosAngelesxo** in light of my recent love for St. Berry in Glee.

Hope this causes no problems, and make sure to check out and spread the word to those who might be interested about my new challenge!

Much love,

UCLAisinLosAngelesxo


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